SAUERBRATEN

Ingredients

• 1-3lb (1.5 kg) roast inside round, outside round, rump, or chuck
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground black pepper
• 1 large clove garlic, cut in half

Marinade

• ½ Peak of the Market onion, sliced
• 1 cup (500 mL) red wine (if you prefer not to cook with wine, you can substitute this for beef stock)
• 1 cup (500 mL) red wine vinegar
• 1 cup (500 mL) stock
• 1 cup (500 mL) water
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried rosemary
• 1 ½ tsp (8 mL) whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt

For cooking:

• 1 ½ tbsp (23 mL) canola oil
• 1 Peak of the Market onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery cut into generous 1-inch pieces
• 2 Peak of the Market carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

For gravy:

• 4 tbsp (45 mL) flour + 4 tbsp (45 mL) water – combine well!

Directions:

To marinate:

1. In saucepan, combine all marinade ingredients and heat through – make sure not to boil.
2. In container large enough for marinade and roast, place roast and rub with garlic clove and ground black pepper. Leave remains of garlic clove in the container with the roast.
3. Pour marinade over the roast. Cover and place in fridge. Let it sit for at least 2 days. If the roast is not completely submerged, turn the roast after a day so it marinates more or less evenly.

When ready to cook:

1. Remove roast from fridge and let come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare vegetables for sautéing. Reserve marinade for cooking purposes.
2. Heat Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add canola oil.
3. Add roast and brown evenly. Once it has browned, remove from the pot onto a plate. Add the vegetables to the pot.
4. Sauté vegetables for about five minutes – you want the edges of the onion and celery to start to colour golden brown.
5. Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil.
6. Once it boils, replace the roast to the pot and reduce the heat to a very low simmer.
7. Cover and let cook on the stove top for about four to five hours. If your roast is flatter, it may be between two and three hours. If it is rounder, it will likely be closer to four hours. You will want to start checking for doneness between three and four hours. You’ll know it’s starting to get close as the meat will begin to fall apart when pulled with forks.
8. When the roast is done, take it out and place it on a serving plate. Cover and let sit till ready to serve.
9. Strain to separate the vegetables and peppercorns from the liquid. Return cooking liquid back to the pot.
10. Bring to a boil and add the flour-water mixture. Whisk well and let cook until you see it thicken. This may take up to 10 minutes, so be patient.
11. Cut the string (if necessary), carve the roast, and serve with gravy. You can pour over some gravy before serving just to moisten the meat, or you can leave it up to your dinner companions to gravy their own meat as desired.

NOTE: When packing up the leftovers, keep extra gravy on hand for re-heating. It can add some extra moisture and flavor back into the dish.